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Autumn
These board books without text show regular activities of the day and of the year, or scenes from nature.
12 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 15, 2022
Dutch picture-book artist Gerda Muller’s majorly and sweetly charming wordless tale is devoted (as the title naturally and obviously already suggests) to Autumn (and there are in fact three other such board books, representing Spring, Summer and Winter respectively).
And Gerda Muller’s artwork in Autmn, it almost exclusively seems to focus mainly 0n young children happily and enthusiastically engaging in a variety of diverse fun, games and Fall based activities, both outside and inside, both during clear and sunny weather and also when it is stormy and raining, and with many of the depicted arts and crafts activities encountered in Autumn (including constructing and then flying a kite) actually also feeling more than a bit sweetly nostalgic for and to me. For indeed, I do well remember and recall many similar such scenarios as a child, before our family moved from Germany to Canada in 1976, which in my humble opinion equally also tends to make Autumn decidedly Western European and thus not so much Canadian and American in scope (and which is in all likelihood also the main reason why there are neither Halloween nor Thanksgiving scenes depicted by Gerda Muller in Autumn and why brightly red and orange coloured Fall leaves are not quite as intensely presented and not as omnipresent as they probably would be in an Autumn themed and based picture book set not in Western Europe but in North America).
Now while I usually do generally very much prefer textual over wordless picture books, well, Gerda Muller’s illustrations for Autumn, they really do not at all require an accompanying verbal narrative, since they in my humble opinion clearly and visually demonstrate what Autumn, what Fall is all about. But albeit I totally think and believe that with Autumn , Gerda Muller has illustratively created a true and aesthetically delightful seasonal celebration, I still and nevertheless do have to point out that there is a pretty obvious lack of ethnic diversity present in Autumn, something that I might not on a personal level consider huge or majorly problematic, although if I were for example considering a wordless seasonal picture book to introduce Autumn to a group of ethnically diverse youngsters, I would most probably consider a less one-sidedly Caucasian tome (and that I therefore also only choose to recommend Autumn with a few reservations and caveats).
And Gerda Muller’s artwork in Autmn, it almost exclusively seems to focus mainly 0n young children happily and enthusiastically engaging in a variety of diverse fun, games and Fall based activities, both outside and inside, both during clear and sunny weather and also when it is stormy and raining, and with many of the depicted arts and crafts activities encountered in Autumn (including constructing and then flying a kite) actually also feeling more than a bit sweetly nostalgic for and to me. For indeed, I do well remember and recall many similar such scenarios as a child, before our family moved from Germany to Canada in 1976, which in my humble opinion equally also tends to make Autumn decidedly Western European and thus not so much Canadian and American in scope (and which is in all likelihood also the main reason why there are neither Halloween nor Thanksgiving scenes depicted by Gerda Muller in Autumn and why brightly red and orange coloured Fall leaves are not quite as intensely presented and not as omnipresent as they probably would be in an Autumn themed and based picture book set not in Western Europe but in North America).
Now while I usually do generally very much prefer textual over wordless picture books, well, Gerda Muller’s illustrations for Autumn, they really do not at all require an accompanying verbal narrative, since they in my humble opinion clearly and visually demonstrate what Autumn, what Fall is all about. But albeit I totally think and believe that with Autumn , Gerda Muller has illustratively created a true and aesthetically delightful seasonal celebration, I still and nevertheless do have to point out that there is a pretty obvious lack of ethnic diversity present in Autumn, something that I might not on a personal level consider huge or majorly problematic, although if I were for example considering a wordless seasonal picture book to introduce Autumn to a group of ethnically diverse youngsters, I would most probably consider a less one-sidedly Caucasian tome (and that I therefore also only choose to recommend Autumn with a few reservations and caveats).
November 8, 2018
A group of rural children enjoy the beauty of autumn in this charming wordless board book from Dutch picture-book creator Gerda Muller. Walking in the rain, playing in the leaves, flying a kite - there are many pleasures to be had in the fall...
Originally published in the Netherlands as Herfst, this is one of a collection of four board books from Muller, each devoted to a different season. Each title - Spring , Summer , Autumn, Winter - was published separately in this wordless edition by Edinburgh-based Floris Books, while all four were combined by New York-based Dutton Children's Books as Circle of Seasons , with text added by Lucia Monfried. I have not read the Monfried title, but given my enjoyment of these individual board books, am becoming quite curious about it. Autumn is a lovely book, although American readers should note that given the Dutch cultural context of the book, some of the festivals we associate with this time of year - Halloween and Thanksgiving in particular - are not depicted. Leaving that aside (and it is not a criticism, just an observation), Muller's artwork here captures all the joy of this particular season. Recommended, together with its companions, to anyone looking for board books about the seasons, as well as to those who enjoy wordless picture-books.
Originally published in the Netherlands as Herfst, this is one of a collection of four board books from Muller, each devoted to a different season. Each title - Spring , Summer , Autumn, Winter - was published separately in this wordless edition by Edinburgh-based Floris Books, while all four were combined by New York-based Dutton Children's Books as Circle of Seasons , with text added by Lucia Monfried. I have not read the Monfried title, but given my enjoyment of these individual board books, am becoming quite curious about it. Autumn is a lovely book, although American readers should note that given the Dutch cultural context of the book, some of the festivals we associate with this time of year - Halloween and Thanksgiving in particular - are not depicted. Leaving that aside (and it is not a criticism, just an observation), Muller's artwork here captures all the joy of this particular season. Recommended, together with its companions, to anyone looking for board books about the seasons, as well as to those who enjoy wordless picture-books.
December 14, 2018
Makes me think of Gyo Fujikawa's children (e.g., Oh, What a Busy Day!) when they have grown a bit older.
May 23, 2008
Arianna recieved this book for her first birthday, and it quickly became a favorite. This was the first book she ever really would just sit there and look at for minutes on end by herself. It doesn't have any words, just beautiful pictures of children playing and doing different autumnal activities. Wonderful!
November 20, 2008
this is a book with no words that you make up a story as you go along. love her artwork!
November 9, 2014
Love all these wordless board books about the seasons. Beautiful art with lots to talk about.
September 5, 2018
Beautiful. Love it. So much to look at and discuss. Has a place on our new nature table.
October 1, 2008
I don't know if you can really consider that I read this b/c it is just full of beautiful drawings. We do, however, discuss all that we see in the pictures. This is a beautifully drawn book.
October 16, 2020
Maybe I'm not artsy enough to understand it, but I didn't get it. There's no words and the pictures don't seem to go together.
November 9, 2025
Gorgeous.
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November 1, 2023Pictures of autumn activities, no words.
November 26, 2019
I wish there were some words to accompany the pictures. And some more autumn-specific activities.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews